SCENE II.

_Florence. A Room in the Palace._

_Enter_ ALPHONSO, HIPPOLITO, _and_ HIERONIMO.

_Alph._ His highness cannot take it ill.

_Hip._ However, We with our duties shall express our care For the safety of his dukedom.

_Hier._ And our loves

_Enter_ COZIMO.

To his person.--Here he comes: present it boldly. [_They kneel_: ALPHONSO _tenders a paper_.

_Coz._ What needs this form? We are not grown so proud As to disdain familiar conference With such as are to counsel and direct us. This kind of adoration show'd not well In the old Roman emperors, who, forgetting That they were flesh and blood, would be styled gods: In us to suffer it were worse. Pray you, rise. [_Reads._ Still the old suit! With too much curiousness You have too often search'd this wound, which yields Security and rest, not trouble, to me. For here you grieve that my firm resolution Continues me a widower; and that My want of issue to succeed me in My government, when I am dead, may breed Distraction in the state, and make the name And family of the Medici, now admired, Contemptible.

_Hip._ And with strong reasons, sir.

_Alph._ For were you old, and past hope to beget The model of yourself, we should be silent.

_Hier._ But being in your height and pride of years, As you are now, great sir; and having, too, In your possession the daughter of The deceased Duke of Urbin, and his heir, Whose guardian you are made; were you but pleased To think her worthy of you, besides children, The dukedom she brings with her for a dower Will yield a large increase of strength and power To those fair territories which already Acknowledge you their absolute lord.

_Coz._ You press us With solid arguments, we grant; and, though We stand not bound to yield account to any Why we do this or that, (the full consent Of our subjects being included in our will,) We, out of our free bounties, will deliver The motives that divert[64] us. You well know That, three years since, to our much grief, we lost Our duchess; such a duchess, that the world, In her whole course of life[65], yields not a lady That can with imitation deserve To be her second; in her grave we buried All thoughts of woman: let this satisfy For any second marriage. Now, whereas You name the heir of Urbin, as a princess Of great revenues, 'tis confess'd she is so: But for some causes, private to ourself, We have disposed her otherwise. Yet despair not; For you, ere long, with joy shall understand, That in our princely care we have provided One worthy to succeed us.

_Enter_ SANAZARRO.

_Hip._ We submit, And hold the counsels of great Cozimo Oraculous.

_Coz._ My Sanazarro!--Nay, Forbear all ceremony. You look sprightly, friend, And promise in your clear aspect some novel That may delight us.

_Sanaz._ O sir, I would not be The harbinger of aught that might distaste you; And therefore know (for 'twere a sin to torture Your highness' expectation) your vice-admiral, By my directions, hath surprised the galleys Appointed to transport the Asian tribute Of the great Turk. A richer prize was never Brought into Florence.

_Coz._ Still my nightingale, That with sweet accents dost assure me that My spring of happiness comes fast upon me! Embrace me boldly. I pronounce that wretch An enemy to brave and thriving action, That dares believe but in a thought, we are Too prodigal in our favours to this man, Whose merits, though with him we should divide Our dukedom, still continue us his debtor.

_Hip._ 'Tis far from me.

_Alph._ We all applaud it.

_Coz._ Nay, blush not, Sanazarro; we are proud Of what we build up in thee; nor can our Election be disparaged, since we have not Received into our bosom and our grace A glorious[66] lazy drone, grown fat with feeding On others' toil, but an industrious bee, That crops the sweet flowers of our enemies, And every happy evening returns Loaden with wax and honey to our hive.

_Sanaz._ My best endeavours never can discharge The service I should pay.

_Coz._ Thou art too modest; But we will study how to give, and when,

_Enter_ GIOVANNI _and_ CONTARINO.

Before it be demanded.----Giovanni! My nephew! let me eye thee better, boy. In thee, methinks, my sister lives again; For her love I will be a father to thee, For thou art my adopted son.

_Giov._ Your servant, And humblest subject.

_Coz._ Thy hard travel, nephew, Requires soft rest, and therefore we forbear, For the present, an account how thou hast spent Thy absent hours. See, signiors, see, our care, Without a second bed, provides you of A hopeful prince. Carry him to his lodgings, And, for his further honour, Sanazarro, With the rest, do you attend him.

_Giov._ All true pleasures Circle your highness!

_Sanaz._ As the rising sun, We do receive you.

_Giov._ May this never set, But shine upon you ever! [_Exeunt_ GIOVANNI, SANAZARRO, HIERONIMO, ALPHONSO, _and_ HIPPOLITO.

_Coz._ Contarino!

_Cont._ My gracious lord.

_Coz._ What entertainment found you From Carolo de Charomonte?

_Cont._ Free, And bountiful. He's ever like himself, Noble and hospitable.

_Coz._ But did my nephew Depart thence willingly?

_Cont._ He obey'd your summons As did become him. Yet it was apparent, But that he durst not cross your will, he would Have sojourn'd longer there, he ever finding Variety of sweetest entertainment. But there was something else; nor can I blame His youth, though with some trouble he took leave Of such a sweet companion.

_Coz._ Who was it?

_Cont._ The daughter, sir, of signior Carolo, Fair Lidia, a virgin, at all parts, But in her birth and fortunes, equal to him. The rarest beauties Italy can make boast of Are but mere shadows to her, she the substance Of all perfection. And what increases The wonder, sir, her body's matchless form Is better'd by the pureness of her soul. Such sweet discourse, such ravishing behaviour, Such charming language, such enchanting manners, With a simplicity that shames all courtship[67], Flow hourly from her, that I do believe Had Circe or Calypso her sweet graces, Wandering Ulysses never had remember'd Penelope, or Ithaca.

_Coz._ Be not rapt so.

_Cont._ Your excellence would be so, had you seen her.

_Coz._ Take up, take up[68].--But did your observation Note any passage of affection Between her and my nephew?

_Cont._ How it should Be otherwise between them, is beyond My best imagination. Cupid's arrows Were useless there; for of necessity, Their years and dispositions do accord so, They must wound one another.

_Coz._ Umph! Thou art My secretary, Contarino, and more skill'd In politic designs of state, than in Thy judgment of a beauty; give me leave, In this, to doubt it.--Here. Go to my cabinet, You shall find there letters newly received, Touching the state of Urbin. Pray you, with care peruse them: leave the search Of this to us.

_Cont._ I do obey in all things. [_Exit._

_Coz._ Lidia! a diamond so long conceal'd, And never worn in court! of such sweet feature! And he on whom I fix my dukedom's hopes Made captive to it! Umph! 'tis somewhat strange. Our eyes are every where, and we will make A strict inquiry.--Sanazarro!

_Re-enter_ SANAZARRO.

_Sanaz._ Sir.

_Coz._ Is my nephew at his rest?

_Sanaz._ I saw him in bed, sir.

_Coz._ 'Tis well; and does the princess Fiorinda, Nay, do not blush, she is rich Urbin's heir, Continue constant in her favours to you?

_Sanaz._ Dread sir, she may dispense them as she pleases; But I look up to her as on a princess I dare not be ambitious of, and hope Her prodigal graces shall not render me Offender to your highness.

_Coz._ Not a scruple. He whom I favour, as I do my friend, May take all lawful graces that become him: But touching this hereafter. I have now (And though perhaps it may appear a trifle) Serious employment for thee.

_Sanaz._ I stand ready For any act you please.

_Coz._ I know it, friend. Have you ne'er heard of Lidia, the daughter Of Carolo Charomonte?

_Sanaz._ Him I know, sir, For a noble gentleman, and my worthy friend; But never heard of her.

_Coz._ She is deliver'd, And feelingly to us, by Contarino, For a masterpiece in nature. I would have you Ride suddenly thither to behold this wonder, But not as sent by us; that's our first caution: The second is, and carefully observe it, That, though you are a bachelor, and endow'd with All those perfections that may take a virgin, On forfeit of our favour do not tempt her: It may be her fair graces do concern us. Pretend what business you think fit, to gain Access unto her father's house, and, there, Make full discovery of her, and return me A true relation:--I have some ends in it, With which we will acquaint you.

_Sanaz._ This is, sir, An easy task.

_Coz._ Yet one that must exact Your secrecy and diligence. Let not Your stay be long.

_Sanaz._ It shall not, sir.

_Coz._ Farewell, And be, as you would keep our favour, careful. [_Exeunt._

FOOTNOTES:

[64] _Divert us._] i. e. _turn us aside_ from following your advice.

[65] ------------_that the world, In her whole course of life_, &c.] This is awkwardly expressed, a circumstance most unusual with Massinger; but seems to mean, in her various excellences and virtues.--GIFFORD.

[66] _Glorious_,] i. e. _vain_, _empty_, _vaunting_.

[67] _All courtship_,] i. e. _all court breeding_.

[68] _Take up, take up._] i. e. _stop, check yourself_.